Breaking Irons
by everybodylies95
Summary: A case comes crashing through Beckett's door, exposing the Caskett relationship to Gates. With Castle injured they have to face the music while trying to solve the case. Set somewhere after Probable Cause but before Target. Assume S5 spoilers. AU
1. Chapter 1

Beckett groaned as the shrill sound of her alarm sliced through her dream and yanked her into the waking world. Reaching on the nightstand she silenced the offending device and looked tiredly at the time

05:00

groaning she settled back into the embrace of her partner. Castle was still snoring not at all disturbed by the alarm. Beckett shook her head, untangled her limbs from Castle's, got out of bed and headed to the bathroom leaving him to sleep.

Once showered and dressed with make-up applied Beckett clipped her badge into place on her belt and strapped her gun to her hip. Taking one last look at the sleeping Castle she left the bedroom and out of the apartment.

* * *

Beckett nodded to the doorman on duty and headed out into the mild morning, turning left she walked the two blocks to the diner. As she approached Beckett could see the man she was here to meet, he was sat in their usual booth hands curled around a cup of coffee with another cup waiting. Walking inside the man spotted Beckett and stood up waiting for her to approach. They wrapped each other in a hug

_Hey Katie _

_Hi Dad_

They sat down across from each other each reaching for their cups of coffee. Kate raised the cup to her lips taking a long awaited sip.

_Where's Rick?_

The writer had accompanied his girlfriend to her weekly breakfasts with her Dad the last three times and Jim looked over Kate's shoulder expecting Castle to appear.

_Sleeping, he was up writing until four thirty _

Jim looked at his watch

06:02

eyebrows rising, not surprised his daughters boyfriend hadn't attended breakfast after less than two hours sleep.

_Is he behind with his chapters again?_

Kate chuckled into her coffee, the last time they had all had breakfast together Castle had been complaining about how his publisher was sending him angry texts because he was late with his latest chapters of Nikki Heat.

_No, but last night he was 'inspired' apparently. Although why he can't get inspired during the day instead of at one o'clock in the morning is beyond me._

Jim laughs

_Anyway, Dad, how was your week?_

_Busy, we had a big case. I'm thinking of going up to the cabin next weekend for a bit of peace and quiet. How about you?_

Jim takes another sip of his coffee looking at his daughter who didn't look too worse for wear this week.

_We've had a quiet week, no body drops, just paper work. It's getting a little boring, I would never wish for murder but…_

Jim smiled

_Something will come up soon and you'll be wishing for dull days of paperwork. Shall we order?_

Kate nodded and picked up a menu looking through the familiar choices, her order already chosen. She looked up at her Dad about to ask if he'd chosen when her phone rang breaking the silence between them. Fishing her phone out of her pocket Kate looked at the caller ID

ESPOSITO

Jim looked over at her phone.

_You jinxed it_

Kate poked her tongue out at her Dad as she answered her phone.

_Beckett…. No I'm having breakfast with my Dad why…_

Jim couldn't hear what the response was but all of the colour drained out of Kate's face at an alarming rate.

_Katie are you ok?_

Kate looked her Dad in the eye, Jim could see pure fear.

_Dad give me your phone._

_My phone?_

_Yes, now!_

Jim handed over his phone and Kate typed in a number and held it up to her other ear waiting.

_Fuck._

Swearing Kate pressed redial and received no response, she tossed the phone back to Jim standing up from the booth.

_Espo, I'm not at home but Castle is… No, he's not answering his phone… Look, I'm five minutes away… Ok, get an ambulance out just in case…_

Jim stood at the mention of an ambulance tossing twenty bucks onto the table to cover their coffees as Kate hung up the phone.

_Dad, I've got to go there's been a reported break-in at my apartment, and sounds of a struggle…_

Jim interrupted his daughter

_I'm coming with you Katie, I'm not asking, you go I'll be right behind you._

Deciding she didn't have time to argue with her Dad Kate took off at a run towards her apartment.

* * *

Beckett dodged the people walking along the sidewalk, trying to avoid as many as possible but not really pausing to worry about the ones she did hit, she had no idea where her Dad was or even if he would be able to keep up. She barrelled through the front doors, seeing the doorman in a crumpled heap she moved faster towards the stairs not stopping only thinking of Castle all alone in her apartment. Beckett hurtled up the stairs to her floor and exploding onto the landing, her neighbour Mrs Wilkes was stood with her door slightly ajar eyeing the hallway. On seeing Beckett she moved out into the hall.

_Oh my God Kate thank goodness you're here, I have no idea what's going on such a lot of noise for this time of the morning, I called 911, I wasn't sure if you we're home or not._

By this point Jim had caught up and was leaning against the wall panting heavily.

_Mrs Wilkes, go back inside and lock the door._

The elderly woman complied as Beckett drew her gun.

_Dad, stay behind me._

Beckett advanced towards her front door which had been kicked in, almost torn off its hinges. She pushed what remained of her front door out of the way and walked into the apartment. It was a wreck. Smashed china and furniture littered the floor, ornaments, ripped cushions and books we're strewn all over the place. A masked man who Beckett had never seen before lay unconscious on his back surrounded by what looked like the remains of a large lamp. Just beyond him Castle lay on his front in his favourite Green Lantern t-shirt and Superman boxers with a growing pool of blood around his head.

* * *

**A/N - Please excuse any grammatical errors, I was a terrible English student. Reviews would be appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2

Beckett lowered her gun and rushed to Castle kneeling down next to his side and flipping him onto his back. Frantically reaching for his neck she felt for his pulse feeling a surge of relief when she felt it pounding solidly away. The blood was coming from a wound at the top left of his forehead. Turning to Jim and pointing to the kitchen island

_"Dad, toss me that cloth" _

Jim picked up the cloth walked forward and passed it to Kate who immediately pressed it to Castle's forehead. Without looking up from Castle Kate nodded towards the masked man

_"Cuff him for me"_

Kate passed Jim her handcuffs and surveyed the rest of Castle's injuries. He looked like he had taken a few punches to his face, luckily his nose didn't look broken but he was going to get at least one black eye. His left shoulder was dislocated and both of his hands were bloody from punches he had obviously thrown. The thing that worried Kate the most, aside from his head wound, was Castle's breathing. It was shallow, as if he was unable to take full breaths.

Jim cuffed the masked assailant's wrists together and moved back to Castle's side as the boys burst into the apartment, guns drawn, looking around. Kate looked up at them giving instruction

_"Can you guys clear the rest of the apartment?"_

Both nodding and casting a worried look over to the writer they spanned out through the apartment clearing all of the rooms holstering their guns and moving back to Castle. Jim looked towards them asking

_"How long until the ambulance gets here?"_

Looking at his watch Esposito looked to the smashed door of the apartment

_"Any time now…"_

Just as he finished speaking two EMTs came hesitantly through the ruined door, surveying the scene in front of them they split up one tending to Castle the other to the masked man.

The group around Castle, except for Kate, moved back and let the EMT work. He picked up the small oxygen tank the EMTs had brought with them, placing the mask over Castle's face he turned the tank on. Next he motioned for Kate to remove the cloth and replaced it with some gauze telling Kate hold it in place. He opened each of Castle's eyelids in turn and shone a small light into them.

_"Is he going to be ok?" _Kate asked

_"We're going to do our best to look after him" _the EMT directed to Kate before looking over to his partner and saying _"Transport this one."_

The other EMT nodded talking to Ryan who was closest

_"Detective, this man has a small wound to the top of his head. It won't require stitches and once he wakes you should be able to take him into custody."_

Ryan nods in response and the EMT moves to bring a back board over to Castle's side. A neck brace was strapped around Castle's neck and on the count of three the EMTs moved him onto the back board strapping him into place and putting the oxygen tank on his legs. They each took an end of the board and lifted Castle looking at the group

_"I'm coming with you" _said Kate

The EMTs nodded and moved towards the door doing their best to keep Castle steady.

Kate addressed the other detectives

_"Stay here, secure the scene, get CSU down here and when he" _She looked towards the cuffed man _"wakes up take him to the precinct." _

Ryan and Esposito nodded and Beckett followed Castle out of the building and into the ambulance.

* * *

Back in the apartment Jim looked around the wrecked apartment and turned to the boys

_"You guys don't need me here. I'm going to follow them to the hospital."_

Once again the boys nodded and Jim left the apartment, went down out onto the street hailing a cab and directing it towards the hospital he knew Rick would be heading to.

* * *

In the ambulance Kate sat up by Castle' head and was running her fingers through his hair on the right side of his head. He still had the oxygen mask on and hadn't regained consciousness but the steady beeping of the heart monitor he had been hooked up to was reassuring. Soon enough the ambulance arrived at the hospital and Castle was lifted out the back and whisked into the ER. Once situated in an area the EMTs replayed all their information about Castle's condition to the doctors. A nurse intercepted Beckett

_"Miss, you'll have to go to the waiting room, you can't be in here during triage."_

_"No, I want to stay with him." _

But the nurse wasn't budging and moved Beckett out the double doors that led into the ER and directed her towards the waiting room.

Beckett walked into the waiting room and spotted her Dad who was talking to the hard faced receptionist with frustratingly little success.

_"Dad!"_ Beckett called and moved over to Jim wrapping him in a hug that she desperately needed _"He's in triage now."_

Father and daughter moved apart and sat down in two empty chairs.

_"You should call Alexis and Martha." _Jim stated

Kate shook her head

_"Martha is in LA with friends and Alexis is on a trip to Vancouver. They're both hours away, I'll call when we know his condition or better yet he can call them himself."_

Jim nodded and they both settled into the chairs waiting for news.

* * *

A short while later a doctor exited the ER looked around before coming over to them

_"Are you Kate?" _he asked

Beckett nodded in return. The doctor looking slightly relieved explained

_"Mr Castle has regained consciousness, but immediately grew very agitated making it very difficult for us to treat him. He is repeatedly asking for you and as we have yet to determine the nature of his head injury we don't want to sedate him so could you come and calm him down a little?"_

_"He's awake? Yeah of course, let me see him" _Kate replied and followed the doctor back into the ER.

Beckett could hear Castle as she stepped further into the ER repeatedly saying

_"No, no, no… leave me alone… Kate? Where's Kate?"_

Kate immediately went to Castle, their eyes connected and Castle's protests immediately ceased

_"Kate! Are you OK?" _He asked

_"Yeah Castle I'm fine I wasn't even home. I was having breakfast with my Dad this morning remember?" _Kate reached up and cupped his cheek before stroking her hand through his hair repeatedly

_"I was supposed to go with you" _Castle hummed

_"I thought I'd let you sleep"_ Kate replied looking back towards the doctors _"Let them treat you now Castle, I'll stay right here with you"_

_"They want to cut my shirt off"_ Castle whined

Kate smiled at him acting so Castle _"Your favourite, I know. I'll buy you a new one and we can make lots of new memories with it." _

Castle finally nodded and the medical team moved forward.

* * *

**Reviews appreciated! **


	3. Chapter 3

The team immediately went to work and Kate moved away a little to give them space to work but still within Castle's field of vision. The team first cut the beloved t-shirt off revealing Castle's chest and stomach, Kate winced at the purple bruises covering most of his chest hearing the doctor comment

_"Need a chest x-ray."_  
Kate tensed as the doctor listened to Castle's lungs and heart but relaxed a little as the doctor seemed satisfied. Next the doctor looked at Castle's shoulder, it had swelled some, but didn't look as bad as his chest nodding the doctor moved up to Castle's head clearing away the blood from the wound he began asking Castle basic questions.

_"Can you tell me your name?"_

_"Richard Castle"_

_"What year is it?"  
"2013"_

_"Okay, follow my finger"_  
The doctor moved his finger from the far left to far right then up and down Castle followed it obediently.

_"Repeat back to me; cat, fish, dog, hamster, squirrel."  
"Cat, fish, dog, hamster, squirrel" _Castle recited.

_"Okay tell me what hurts?"  
"My head feels as like a monkey is playing bongos while sitting surrounded by hundreds of jackhammers, my shoulder aches, my chest feels like a sumo wrestler is sat on me, and my hands ache too."_ Castle replied

_"Your back doesn't hurt at all?" _the doctor checked

_"No"_

At this the doctor removed the neck brace and Castle looked a little less uncomfortable. Turning to a nurse the doctor said  
_"Book him for a chest x-ray and head CT."_

The nurse nodded and moved to the desk to make a phone call, Kate moved forward and carefully took Castle's right hand in her own, the doctor turned back to them.

_"Mr Castle you seem to be quite lucky"  
"I don't feel it"_ Castle quipped

_"In any case, I believe that you have a concussion the cut on your head will require only a few stitches but we're going to do a head CT just to be sure. Unfortunately, you have a dislocated shoulder, we'll have to relocate it but because of your concussion I won't be able to give you any pain relievers. I suspect you have some broken ribs but you don't have a collapsed lung so we will perform a chest x-ray and bandage those up for you along with your hands. But all in all it could have been much worse."_

_"When are you going to do my shoulder doc?"_ asked Castle

_"Right now"_ the doctor said moving over to Castle's left side _"The less swelling the easier it will be to pop back into position. If you're ready?"  
_Castle nodded griping Kate's hand hard despite the pain in his hand.

_"Ok, on the count of three." _The doctor griped Castle's arm and shoulder firmly with his hands.

_"One…._

_Two…"_

On two the doctor moved Castle arm upwards causing a shout of pain from Castle and a crunch from his shoulder.  
_"Aww come on doc that's not fair, you went on two" _Castle whined

_"I find the element of surprise helpful"_ the doctor smiled at Castle _"I'll stitch your head now as it has stopped bleeding."_

A nurse came over with the equipment the doctor would need and the doctor sat on a stool next to Castle's head making small talk as he places his glasses on his nose and readied the equipment.

_"My wife is a great fan of your novels Mr Castle, especially the Nikki Heat ones. Is this your detective partner?"_ the doctor nodded towards Kate.

_"Yeah, the great detective Beckett"_ Castle replied looking towards Kate.

Kate smiled back down at Castle who asked her

_"How's your dad doing? Still being worked too hard?"_

Kate chuckled _"Castle, my dad isn't the one I'm concerned with at the moment. I didn't find him bleeding on the floor of my apartment."_

_"Yeah but I'm getting stitches in my head. My head Kate!"_ Castle exclaimed _"Help me take my mind off it?"_

Unable to refuse Castle this request Kate sighed _"He's ok I guess, in better shape than I thought anyway. He ran all the way from the diner back to my place, he wasn't that far behind me either, I bet he could give you a run for your money."_  
Castle huffed.

_"He followed us here, he's in the waiting room now."_

The doctor stood smiling at the pair of them saying

_"All done, I'll have a nurse bandage your hands and then we'll take you up for your scans. You will have to wait in the waiting room for that part detective."  
_Kate smiled at the doctor _"Thank you doctor."_

In no time at all Castle's hands were bandaged and as he was being wheeled away he said

_"Kate can you find me some clothes?" _

_"Oh I don't know Castle, you look quite fetching in superman boxers" _Kate teased in return. Castle poked his tongue out at Kate

_"I'll find you some scrubs_ _to wear" _the nurse said to Castle.

* * *

Kate returned to the waiting room and sat back down next to her Dad.

_"How is he?"_ asked Jim, who was very fond of his daughters boyfriend.

_"Banged up, they're taking him for an x-ray now, but he'll be fine. He was winging about them cutting off his favourite t-shirt"_ replied Kate running a hand through her hair.

Jim chuckled _"Sounds like something Rick would do."  
_Kate smiled as she closed her eyes and leant against her Dad's shoulder, it had already been a long day.

* * *

Some time later they were both allowed into the ER and they walked over to Castle who, finally vertical, was sat on the end of the bed with his left arm in a blue sling, a bandaged chest was wearing scrubs trousers conversing with his doctor. He had two black eyes to finish the ensemble.

_"Kate! Jim!" _he exclaimed happily on seeing them

_"I was just informing Mr Castle on the terms of his release_" The doctor informed them _"He is not to be left on his own for the next 24 hours, he can sleep but must be woken every hour to check his concussion isn't getting any worse. After 24 hours he can take the pain medications I have prescribed him"_ the doctor handed Kate a pharmacy bag _"As long as that is understood and you sign your release papers you are free to leave."_

The doctor handed Castle and with some difficultyCastle scrawled out something like his name onto the sheet of paper.

_"Thanks for everything doc."_ Castle said and the doctor retreated to his next patient.

Castle carefully slid off the bed "_Let's get out of here. I'm not a fan of hospitals."_

_"Castle are you going to put that scrubs shirt on?"_ Kate asked pointing to the garment that was still on the bed.

_"No, three broken ribs and left arm in a sling make lifting my arms a bit tricky. I'll put one of my button up shirts on later."_

Kate nodded in response and Castle, a Beckett on either side, made his way slowly to the exit.

* * *

**Reviews appreciated!**


End file.
